Moving Mana

A few minutes later, I found myself seated on an uncomfortably stiff chair, head bent over scriptures on mana that were sprawled messily over a simple wooden table.

"May I know once again why I am here?" I asked with no small amount of irritation, even as my eyes scanned the crowded words on the ancient scroll.

"You are here to understand how to manipulate mana," the System said disapprovingly, "and you would do much better if you could shed the distractions that clutter your thoughts."

"Then why is it that I am poring over theories on the nature of mana, written by quack authors based on unreliable accounts of bizarre happenings?" I shot back. "Shouldn't I be learning how to control it, or at least how I can use it?

The System sighed audibly. "How do you plan to control something you do not comprehend?" it asked. 

I had no reply for that, so I scowled and returned to my reading. Truth be told, the theories proposed by these 'quack authors' were surprisingly compelling and I couldn't help but be drawn in by the detail with which they obsessed over the most unimportant minutiae of how mana operated. In no time, I was in that unresponsive trance of manic reading that is so common to those who loved all things written.

Unfortunately, at some point my reverie was rudely interrupted as the System whisked the parchments away from me despite my protests.

"You have used the three hours you have for comprehending the nature of mana. You will now be given three hours to understand how to compel mana to do your bidding." the System stated.

Eagerly, I dove into the pile of notes and documentations placed before me. However, in no more than a few minutes I found myself thoroughly confused. 

"Mana is controlled through your will? What does that even mean?" I muttered, hoping for a reply from the System.

"I will not be interfering in this Trial. Beyond the basic explanation of its nature I have provided, I cannot do anything more for you." it replied bluntly.

With a scowl, I returned to the papers before me. In a few minutes, I desperately trying to balance on one leg as I held a posture that was supposed to ease mana control. 

"How am I supposed to 'will' the mana to move?" I asked in frustration. "I just can't move it! What, am I supposed to ask it politely to move?" 

In desperation, I channeled my anger into a tiny speck of mana in my arm - mana in my body was supposedly easier to manipulate - then mentally yelled at it to shift.

It continued on its merry journey, quietly floating through space as if I did not exist. Sometimes it would move within the confines of my body or at others it would drift into the air, but nothing I did could move it.

"Just move!" I yelled aloud, as I imperiously pointed a finger at it.

Suddenly, to my shock, I saw a near-invisible line reach out from my index finger and before my disbelieving eyes, attach itself to the white spark.

"Yes!" I screamed mentally.

Slowly, I shifted my finger to the right, and the speck obediently moved along with the line.

At that very moment, a voice intruded on my joy. "Your three hours are up, please prepare to move to the section on mana usa- Did you just move that speck of mana?"